Colourful goodbye as mourners wear pink, red and purple at funeral of Wigan schoolgirl

Holly Prince’s parents Mark and Jenny had asked mourners to take single roses to the service at St John’s Church, in Hindley Green, on Friday morning.

They also requested that people wore red, pink or purple – Holly’s favourite colours – as the youngster made her final journey.

A colourful procession formed at the family’s home in Hindley and hundreds of people followed a white horse-drawn carriage to the church on Atherton Road.

The pink coffin was carried inside, before a moving service was held to celebrate Holly’s life.

Afterwards, burial was due to take place at Howe Bridge Cemetery followed by a wake at Leigh Cricket Club.

Holly’s family asked for any donations in her memory to be given to Derian House Children’s Hospice or Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Both organisations offered a great deal of care and support for Holly and her loved ones during her short life.

Hindley Green Primary School pupil Holly was diagnosed with Bloom syndrome in 2020, making her one of fewer than 300 people around the world found to have the rare genetic disorder.

It can lead to people being short in stature, sensitive to sunlight and having a greater risk of getting cancer.

Doctors gave her family the devastating news that she had cancer three times and she received gruelling treatment to battle the disease.

But her heartbroken parents announced that their “beautiful angel” Holly had died on Friday, April 8.

In a moving Facebook post, they said: “Holly passed away peacefully last night at 8pm. She fought til the end and is now at peace.

"’In life we loved you dearly, In death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a place, no one else will ever fill.’

"Fly high our beautiful angel. Holly Olivia Prince 02/12/16 - 08/04/22”

Her family shared her experiences on a Facebook page named Holly’s Blooms Journey, with people across Wigan and further afield taking her into their hearts.

Thousands of pounds had been raised through a series of fund-raising events so Holly and her family could go to a Bloom syndrome conference in Chicago, as well as donate to charities.